The word, redemption is perhaps more commonly known to many when they are doing their shopping. They bought something and were given a redemption voucher where they can get a 5-10% discount off the next purchase.To entice buying, there is usually an expiry date attached to it and that "don't want to miss the offer" or "free money" temptation is sufficient to make these shoppers keep coming back for more.

The domain of darkness to me would be where we, humans fall for all kinds of sins - anger, frustration, anxiety, worries, stress, depression, doubts, sickness, poverty, unhealthy relationship, unforgiveness, etc. Unlike the material world where there is an expiry date, God does not possess one in his spiritual redemption. The door is always open for us. He gave us a choice and does not dictate our decisions. Some may take a long time to come around, others may not in their whole life. That is fine with God coz his love for us is unconditional. It does not work like the material world whereby one has to purchase something in order to get the redemption voucher.

So why do we worry and have doubts? Is it because we are concerned of the outcome or we wish the desired outcome to come faster than expected? Is it no wonder that the market is flooded with how to make $xxxx in 2 hours type of courses attract more people than going to the church? We tend to think that if we have this additional $xxxx, then some or all of our problems would be solved. How naive men are!

Given a chance, I think we want to retire now instead of later.The need for instant gratification is strong, not having to work for it but merely wishing. Can a farmer hurried his crops to be produced faster than its usual harvesting time? Men created by God has come up with Genetically modified food where the life cycle is now shortened, from corns to chicken. So they said that the world demand for food is increasing and thus the supply time need to be cut down. Do you buy that ?

Imagine if we reach puberty at age 5 instead of 12-14, what would we be like? It is as if what is to be experienced in the future for a 12 year old kid is now experienced by a 5 year old boy. How absurd just the thought of it!! So I think that we humans live in a fast paced society where instant gratification is the norm and we lead a hurried lifestyle, attempting to cramp as much activity as possible within a 24 hour period hoping to have the kind of life we think we should have. Are we truly living the moment or are we trying so hard to live a perfect, ideal kind of lifestyle given/sold to us by the media?

Perhaps, that is part of the reasons why so many people want/need to travel every now and then. To get away from the hustle and bustle of life, to destress, to find the inner calmness that we once possess. In short, to remain sane in our daily doings for fear of going mad and not knowing what the consequences will be like. It is like ants in a pressure cooker, no place to hide nor run, awaiting for the right temperature before the final explosion comes ! How horrible can that be huh?

YES, we can all buy back or redeem our state of health, prosperity, wealth, relationship with our loved ones. We do not use money to exchange for all these but relying on the power God that was bestowed upon us, we can utilise our unwavering faith, courage of steel and a never give up attitude to achieve what we want in life. We must surrender the dateline and not be obsessed with the time of receiving the gift. Read here : Acts 1:3-73 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.”6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.

Suffering here can refers to the situation that we are now facing, be it a health issue, work challenge, money problem, relationship etc. So Jesus show to his disciples the "before" (death) and "after (live). Forty days would means there is a waiting period from death to life again. These days are not preset and can be shorter or longer. Look at the above verse, “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.We find another verse here, Acts 1:7 - And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

With the timeline taken out of the equation, we men have to rely solely on our faith, courage of steel to persist in what we want and keeping the vision strong and vivid in our mind. We need not be concerned with the means to the end but rather the end itself will provide the means.

Tony Robbins, one of my favourite mentor talk about changing our physiology to alter our emotional states. That means, if we want to be happy, cheerful, excited, then we can shift our body, gestures, facial expressions to align to that state we want. Exercise in my case helps as it gets my body awake and mind clear of negativity. Action will always accompany feelings from the thoughts we generate in our mind. To be happy, do things that make you happy and that itself will shift our thoughts to positivity instead of negative ones.

I hope this is helpful to you as it has been for me each time I pen down my thoughts !